Oct 5, 2005

This entree was served at Goucher College as part of an "Eat Local Challenge." The rainbow trout came from Orndorff's Trout Farm in Maurertown, Va., and the herbs are from Koinonia Farm in Baltimore.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 medium (16 ounces) eggplants, halved lengthwise

4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

4 tablespoons chopped basil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 medium shallots, chopped

2 Gala apples, cored

2 stalks bok choy, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces

4 (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds) rainbow trout fillets

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the eggplant halves in a roasting pan, cut side down. Roast until soft in appearance, about 10 minutes. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and dice. In a medium bowl, combine the diced eggplant, cilantro, basil, garlic and the shallots and stir to combine. Set aside.

Meanwhile, slice apples into 1/4-inch rings. Place them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray oil. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

In a pan that can contain a steamer large enough to hold the trout in a single layer, boil water over medium-high heat. Place the bok choy pieces in the steamer and lay the trout on the bok choy. Top with the baked apple slices. Cover pan tightly and steam until fish is firm to the touch, about 4 minutes.

Spoon the eggplant mixture on top of the apple slices, replace the cover and steam 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully transfer each serving to a plate, preserving the layers as they were in the steamer. Serve immediately.

This preparation of the summer classic is fussier than stewing everything in one pot, but by cooking two of the vegetables separately — zucchini and eggplant, those most prone to sogginess — you keep their textures distinct.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.

To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.